


Somewhere ages and ages hence

by Nite_Cross



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Heavensward, Original Character(s), Self-Insert, Spoilers, a realm reborn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-24
Updated: 2017-08-29
Packaged: 2018-04-16 23:49:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 16,950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4644630
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nite_Cross/pseuds/Nite_Cross
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>'Huh, so this is what it's like to have a lucid dream,' except it wasn't a dream. It was the start of what would soon become a dangerous, stress-filled, and tiring life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Lucid Dreaming

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is what happens when even the internet gets boring. 
> 
> Follow me down the rabbit hole.

‘Huh, so this is what it’s like to have a lucid dream,’ I had fuzzily thought to myself when I opened my eyes. I had never had one before, not really. I have had dreams where a distant corner of my mind knew I was dreaming but this? No, I had never had a dream like this.

At the moment I opened my eyes there was no indication that it wasn’t a dream. There wasn’t that moment where, even if my eyes were closed, I knew I was awake. The feeling I had was more akin to that of being half-asleep, everything groggy and unclear, before falling back asleep. But when I opened my eyes, it was not to bright sunlight shining through the blinds covering the sliding doors of my apartment balcony. Nor was it to the familiar sight of my roommate’s bed. Or even to my bedroom ceiling. I had not traveled anywhere and unless some stranger broke into my apartment before proceeding to drug and kidnap me, or unless I had somehow managed to lose my memories, I was positive this was a dream. My first clue? Everything was blue and shiny.

No, really; _everything_ was blue and shiny. I was surrounded by it. It was a shade or two darker than primary blue and there were lights floating and shooting around as if they were stars in the night sky.

In normal circumstances I would have probably panicked, especially when I finally realized, after long moments, that I was floating. Even now, as I think back on it, there is a sense of disbelief. That was my first encounter with what would become a very dangerous, stress-filled, and tiring life and I was mellow at the time. I suppose it can be forgiven because, as I said, I thought I was dreaming. I mean, what else could it have been?

There I was, floating in this blue space-like _space_ , half-asleep and absolutely relaxed. So please do not blame me when I tell you that I did not react like most people would have had my been in my position, especially when I started to move and I wasn’t the one doing the moving. My limbs were being manipulated and I was merely a spectator in this body. You know those dreams where it’s not you in that body but someone else and your only role are that of the audience? That was exactly what it felt like then. I was moved until I went from floating on my back to floating in an upright position. Had I been on solid ground I would have been standing.

Then came the most frightening part: a voice, not my own, in my head. It was nothing like I had ever heard before. It was not male or female and yet it was both. It was neither young nor old, yet it was both. It was everything and nothing and something that was not meant for human ears. It was terrifying, like I was staring at the abyss and found it gazing back at me. It was something beyond human, something I could not identify or quantify and a black feeling arose in me. I wanted to run, to scream, to struggle. I did not want to hear that voice again. Yet as quickly as it appeared, the feelings were muffled and I was back to the dream-like state I had first found myself in. ‘Start creation,’ it had said.

Squares of light, like pixels in some sort of movie or television show, came together to form a doll-like image. It was completely blank, much like a mannequin. It was bald with thin limbs and a flat chest. Yet it was not male. It was not female either. In fact, the genital area was completely smoothed over like a Barbie doll.

‘A life-sized Barbie doll,’ I thought morbidly. Because it was; and it was, as far as I could tell, exactly my height. I would have tilted my head if I could. Curiously I said, “Female.” But I had not said it aloud, I thought in mild surprise. I had thought it.

The image grew breasts as hips widened and limbs shortened or lengthened appropriately into a general female body. I could even the slight swell in its genital area.

‘Male,’ I thought this time. Once again, the image changed. The breasts and hips disappeared, limbs lengthened, and even a penis appeared. ‘Huh.’

I would have been giddy if I could have. This was like character creation in a video game or one of those virtual reality light novels I would pick up once in a while. It really was a dream come true. It was my belief that character creation, if extensive enough, was the best part of a video game. A lot of it stemmed from the fact that I drew and although I wasn’t bad, neither was I as good as I wanted to be and character creation gave me an outlet for that.

‘Large muscles?’ it was the wrong thing to think apparently, because the doll bulged. ‘Stop! Less muscles.’ It scaled down a fraction but I noticed that everything scaled down at once. And so I went, starting with the pectorals and ending with the calves until I had it exactly as I wanted. It was a swimmer’s build, made for speed rather than strength.

‘Hair,’ nothing happened. ‘Perhaps I need to be more specific?’ I thought to myself. ‘Brown hair,’ once again, nothing happened. ‘Short brown hair,’ ah, there it was. I wondered how far I could change it. So I tried. It went from a generic hair style to long white hair. That was not something that happened in most video games but I dismissed it. It was my dream after all. I played around, going from white hair that ran down to its waist to a red Mohawk to shaggy blue.

‘Mint green,’ I thought in amusement, having fun at all the combinations I could come up with. Oh, I liked that one. But, ‘Lighter. Lighter. Lighter.’ On it went until it was a cross between sea foam green and white. Or more like white with a tint of sea foam green added to it. I knew, with high confidence, that it would be the type of hair that was green in the shade but blazed white or silver or blue in the sun. I wonder, ‘Green highlights.’ Huh, even that worked. I continued on and a part of me wondered at the long dream. I thought I would have awoken by now, leaving me to mourn leaving such a wonderful dream. But no, I was still there.

And so I kept going, customizing everything from the eye shape to the height. I had even added a tribal looking tattoo, colored in white, on the left side of doll’s face, near the temple along the hairline, one arm reaching to its eye, and mostly covered by the fringe. Then I added another one, this time on the left side of its neck, spanning down to its shoulders and ending on its biceps.

There was only one thing left to do. I eyed its penis. Should I? Well, what the hell; it was only just a dream. So I played, making it larger, then smaller, before giving up and leaving it at an average size. ‘After all, moving around in armor would probably be a pain,’ I thought. ‘Alright then. Done.’

‘Name,’ there it was again, that terrible, horrible, inhuman voice.

‘Cross!’ I shouted mentally, choosing the first name that had crossed my mind when I saw the finished product.

Weapons appeared before me. ‘Oh,’ I thought numbly. ‘Class choices.’ There was a sword, a spear, bows and arrows, staffs and staves, gauntlets, and a book. I eyed the sword. I had always had a fascination with swords. Then my gaze drifted to the magic weapons. Magic would be cool and being able to heal myself was even better. But I had always drifted to the archer class in video games. Being able to attack from a distance was always fun. It kept my character from being attacked too badly, minimizing the need for potions or the waste of MP. That decided it. ‘Archer.’

Then I was flying. The lights moved passed me. Or did I move past it? It didn’t matter. All I knew was that the lights were moving so fast they were streaks. It was as if I was in a time warp. I was flying and falling every which way until I lost all sense of time and movement; until it felt like I was completely still.

And I knew no more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is not thought out. All I knew when I started this two hours ago was that I was bored out of my skull and I couldn't find the fantasy/action/adventure piece of work I wanted to read. So, here we are. I have no idea where this is going, only that it'll probably follow the main storyline, somewhat. There will be deviations and divergence because I'm not that much of a fan of novelization.
> 
> Just to let you all know, whoever reads this, I'm really bad at finishing things. I'm hoping this will go better since it's been bouncing around in my head for the better part of two years. Plus I still play the game, so you know, inspiration. This will probably be a mixture of long chapters and drabbles, depending on my mood and you may have to wait forever for chapters in the first place. I write when inspiration hits me and I tend to cycle through various fandoms that can last anywhere from a day to three months. It also doesn't help that in exactly one week the new semester starts at Uni and I will be starting my second year of grad school.
> 
> So, thank you all for checking this out. I welcome criticisms of all kinds, especially since I don't have a beta.
> 
> Read and Review.
> 
> Welcome to Wonderland~


	2. Awakening

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our hero awakens to find that absolutely nothing is familiar.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Huh, didn't expect a chapter out this early but I woke up this morning with inspiration still in my head.

In fiction, when a character awakens it is usually to a completely unfamiliar place that fills them with confusion and panic. This was only half true in my case. I had been expecting my room and all its sights, scents, and sounds. That, of course, was not what happened. But the sight was not unfamiliar. I woke up to the same floating, shooting lights that looked like stars. Except it looked more like the night sky this time, my surroundings the black of outer space I imagined it would be. The blue glow came from lights, surrounding a white core.

My first thought was that I was still dreaming. But no. This time I felt awake. I knew I was conscious. Confusion set in.

'Where was I?’ I thought. ‘It was a dream. So why am I still here?’

I started the float down gently, if quickly. I wanted to panic, to yell and struggle, but my mind was in a jumble. I was still stuck on the where and why of my situation. Then I landed. It was weird because I felt something solid underneath my feet but when I looked down, _there was nothing there_.

_Hear…Feel…_

It was a woman’s voice, deep but decidedly feminine. I looked around but there was no one. There was nothing but a vast expanse of black and glowing blue lights. But as I looked straight ahead I saw a light, this one glowing orange. It started to glow brighter and I walked towards it. It was stupid; I understand that now. But at the time I wanted to know and that light had been the only thing that was different.

I startled in surprise and fear as a shadow, a deeper black than the space I found myself in, enveloped the light. I could feel my body freeze as I felt it. It was evil. No, it was not evil. Rather it felt evil to me because of the things it stood for. It was darkness. It was destruction. It was nothingness. It stood for everything that was opposite light and life and creation. To me, at that moment in time, it was evil. I did not yet want to die. Although it is my belief that death is merely another turn in the cycle, I still had no such to do and I did not want to give that up just yet. Worse yet, I did not think that that shadow would grant me something as sweet as death. It would take me and rip me apart until I was nothing. And nothing could not have a death.

Out of that shadow a figure came bursting out. They reached a gloved hand towards me, as if to grab me, before stepping out fully. They wore a black cloak, hood up, and a red half-mask that hid the upper half of their face. The cloak was heavily decorated with what looked like silver metal and loose enough that I could not tell whether they were a man or a woman.

_Hear…Feel…Think…_

The orange glow that I thought had been swallowed by the nothingness drifted towards me. It glowed brighter and brighter until I started to glow. I could feel it, a warmth surrounding me. I felt so very safe. The light grew so bright that I could not see anything and just as suddenly it died down. I was different. I had armor on now, elaborate and embellished. In my hands were a bow and arrow. It felt right in my grip; light but powerful. I had the sense that with it I had no need to fear the person in front of me, nor the nothingness. I could feel them as they gathered the shadows into themselves and I found myself reacting on instinct. I brought the bow up and nocked an arrow. As the figure abruptly flew towards me, I gathered the light to myself, condensing it.

* * *

 

I don’t know what happened next. Even now I don’t remember. The next thing I knew I could feel myself awakening, again. Bright sunlight shone through closed lids as my mind slowly became less groggy. Something felt off, a distant part of me realized. I could feel the sun on my body, could feel a slight cool breeze that made me shiver and reach for my blanket. I groped around blindly with both hands and feet before I realized that nothing was there. I opened my eyes only to slam them shut a moment later as light pierced them. I groaned as I shifted onto my side, throwing an arm to cover my face.

‘What the fuck?’ I thought. I attempted to open my eyes again, this time with more success. I lay there as I was wont to do after waking up. I was not the sort of person to get up right away. Instead I usually lingered in bed until I was fully and widely awake. Only after several long minutes did I attempt to open my eyes again. It was only a crack, enough to get used to the dim lighting. I moved my arms little by little until I could see. I sat up, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes.

I was, nowhere I had ever been before. The landscape was beautiful, from what my eyes could see. I was in the middle of green, grassy plains, stretching out to the horizon. The sun shone brightly, warming my face. It was a mild, pleasant day; the sort of day where one could nap in the sun and not get burned for it.

I shifted to stare over my shoulder and jerked in surprise. There was a forest in the distant, the kind that seemed to be more like the woods in a fairy tale than in reality. The kind in which you expected to wander safely and find a nice cottage tucked away somewhere. And there, right near that idyllic forest was a village. Not a town or a city, an honest-to-gods village. I could see small houses with straw roofing. People were milling about, going about their daily lives.

Hoping that I was not about to step into some sort of horror movie setting, I pushed myself up, pausing when I realized my hand touched something hard. I looked down, blinking when I saw a bow and a quiver of arrows. Glancing around dubiously, I grabbed it. If I was walking headlong into danger at least I would have some sort of weapon. I slung both onto my back, making sure I would be able to grab it quickly before starting forward. I managed two steps.

It felt wrong, I had thought as I was lying from where I fell. My _body_ felt _wrong_. I looked down as I patted myself. I wondered how I didn’t notice it before. I could see my forearms, except they weren’t my arms. But it was because it moved as I expected it to move.

‘But it’s not mine,’ I thought numbly. They certainly didn’t look like mine. They were a much lighter shade than mine, with a pinker tint than a yellow one, hairless, and with more muscle definition. I patted myself slower, feeling my body through the clothes.

‘No, this is definitely not my body.’ I thought hysterically. ‘Am I dead? Am I possessing some poor sap?’ I don’t know how long I sat there. My thoughts ran in circles with no end in sight and I kept touching myself. I must have looked crazy to anyone unfortunate enough to have noticed me. But I couldn’t stop even if I wanted to. My mind was panicking and everything had finally hit me. I was in an unknown place, in a body not my own, with no idea how I had gotten there or why I was there in the first place. I didn’t want to whine but _I wanted to go home_.

‘Home,’ that thought drove me up and forward, continuing on even as I stumbled and fell every few steps. ‘I might not know where the fuck I am but I bet that village will have answers.’

* * *

 

The village, it turned out, did not have answers. Its residents had plenty of information but none of which I was searching for. They were friendly, these people, treating me kindly, if with no small amount of wariness.

“An adventurer are ye?” this came from a portly woman with greying brown hair and warm brown eyes. She wasn’t speaking English, that much I knew. The phonetics and syllables were similar. When I broke them down, I found that they were the same ones used in the English language. However, they were jumbled up, making foreign words. Instead of ‘ad-ven-tur-er’ it was ‘ven-er-ad-tur.’ I had been worried that I would not be able to communicate at all but I understood her just fine. It was as if there was a translation program in my head: whatever I heard I heard as if in English and whatever I spoke came out in her language.

“Yes ma’am,” I responded. Another surprise then. My voice was deep, husky in a way I wasn’t used to.

“An’ what is someone like an adventurer doin’ all the way ou’ here, eh?” she walked off, presumably towards a water source if the large basket of clothes in her hands was any indication. With little choice but to follow her, I offered my help in carrying the load. She grinned as she handed it off to me.

Her question had given me pause and I remained silent as we walked. Could I tell her the truth? Should I? Would they lock me up or try to harm me if they knew? With such doubts plaguing my mind I decided to answer as best I could without giving anything away. “I’m lost.”

She laughed, “Well I should say so, stumblin’ in like ye did. We don’ get no adventurers round here fer the mos’ part and if we do they up an’ leave as soon they can. Mos’ of them go cross the sea to the lands there. Only folk we get round here are them Miqo’te traders.”

I misheard. I must have. Because I knew that word – Miqo’te. But that was impossible. So I decided to ignore it. I didn’t know the language after all. It was only a mistranslation. I stayed quiet.

“If ye don’ mind me askin’, where ye headed?”

I bit my lip, “I’m trying to go home.”

“Where’s yer home then? Mayhaps I can direct ye to where ye need ta be headin’.”

“I don’t know,” my voice was almost inaudible. There was a pause as she turned her head to look at me.

“Hm,” she hummed knowingly. I would later find out that she was good at that, of knowing exactly what you weren’t saying. We fell silent then and only the sound of nature, of the rustle of leaves in the breeze and our own quiet footsteps in the grass, could be heard.

My breath caught when we reached the water. It was a river, clearer than any I had ever seen before. It was deep but I could still see to the bottom. It sparkled merrily in the sunlight, catching rainbows at a whim. I followed the woman to a large flat rock where she kneeled and gestured for her basket. I watched as we took out a chunk of what I assumed to be soap and set it aside. Then she took out the first garment. It was a fascinating process to watch. Coming from world where I only needed to put my clothes in a machine, I couldn’t make myself turn away.

She must have noticed my interest, for she quirked a brow before giving me a club. “Beat that for me,” she said, waving an arm toward the piece of clothing she had laid on the rock. Bemusedly, I did as she ordered. After a moment of silence she continued, “Ye ain’t the only one. Someone who lost their home, I mean. Five years gone an’ we still get people wanderin’ bout, tryin’ ta make a place fer themselves. Some of ‘em chose to rebuild. It’s what we did. Some of ‘em are like ye, takin’ up adventurin’ in hopes of findin’ what they lost. But home ain’t a place. Places, now places get destroyed all the time. It’s people that makes a home. Ye find family or friends to make a family with an’ with them ye find yer home.” She nodded resolutely, “Go find some people ta share yer life with.”

“I have people,” I responded desperately. “I have a home. I just – I don’t know where they are at the moment. And I don’t know how to get back.”

“Hm. Well then, yer welcome ta stay here til ye do. My boys are all grown an’ startin’ families of their own. My house is empty but fer a little one. Ye stay here fer a couple a days. No buts.” She added when I opened my mouth.

With no choice, I nodded. But a feeling of relief flowed through me. Being given orders I could follow made my life easier. I had no need to think about the confusion or the helplessness. “Thank you,” I flushed in embarrassment, turning my head to the side, where I promptly stumbled in shock.

Disregarding the strange glance she gave me, I abandoned my duty of helping her with the laundry and crept closer to the river cautiously. I peered over the side of the bank and stared. A reflection stared back. I knew I wasn’t in my body but to have it confirmed so clearly was a shock to my system. It was that doll, the one I had created when I thought I was dreaming.

‘What the fuck?’ the face was wide eyed, mouth parted slightly in disbelief. Hair blazed white and silver and blue while eyes a darker shade of pink gazed back at me. It was pretty, everything symmetrical and perfect-sized to my eyes; nothing too big or small, thick or thin. I raised a hand and watched as the reflection did the same, tracing the tattoo, touching the fringe that swept across the forehead and the long stands at the side. I touched the side of my neck, at the second tattoo, tracing it until it disappeared beneath the clothes. ‘Well shit. So that wasn’t a fucking dream. I repeat, what the fuck?!’

“Now I know ye have a nice face but that ain’t no reason ta be actin’ like Cassius,” amusement colored her tone.

“Cassius?” I echoed.

“Cassius, the man of legend that loved himself so much he wasted away starin’ at his reflection in a river.”

‘Ah, Cassius must be their version of Narcissus.”

“Now then, help me wring these out an’ we can head back.”

* * *

 

“This house has plenty o’ room. As I said, my own are all grown an’ elsewhere. I’ve only a little one that stays with me from time to time. Ye can have a spare bedroom, no payment needed. Course, if ye really want ta pay me back, I ain’t about ta refuse some help round the house.” she led me upstairs to a small bedroom with a bed, side table, and dresser. It was homey and comforting 

I nodded in lieu of anything to say.

“I have some leftovers from lunch if yer hungry. Supper won’t be for a while yet. Why don’t ye go out an’ meet some o’ the other folk?”

I nodded again. As I said, following orders were a welcome relief right then. At that time I probably would have done anything she had asked. But she was a sweet woman, taking joy in helping others. If not for her and this village, I don’t think I would have ever made it as well as I have today.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter refused to end. Usually my works are a couple hundred words long so for me to write and keep writing was weird. I ended up cutting it off here but I'm actually already starting to write the next chapter. If all goes well it should be out either in a couple of hours or tomorrow.
> 
> To the person who left me a kudos, you have no idea how happy you made me. This chapter I will dedicate to you.
> 
> Criticisms are welcomed.
> 
> Read and Review.


	3. Meetings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ‘I could have been a cat person?’ I thought, just a touch hysterical.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, here's the next chapter. Hope you guys enjoy it!

‘When in doubt, deny, deny, deny,’ that was my thought when I encountered the large yellow birds.

Let’s start at the beginning shall we? When I first stepped outside, after having a very delicious, reheated lunch, I was eager, if hesitant. The sights and sounds were new to me. I had lived in the city before but it was a rather quiet part of it. Still, I was used to hearing the noises of traffic, of bicycles, and of people. It was different here. For one, it was smaller. I could see one end of the village and the other end by just turning my head. There were less people as well. But everyone knew each other and as such, they shouted greetings or murmured conversations between themselves. I couldn’t hear farm animals: no cows or pigs or chickens. As I took a deep breath, I realized there was no smell of manure either. There was definitely an underlying stench but not nearly as bad as I had been expecting.

I started walking, wanted to familiarize myself with the place. There was a bakery, judging by the very good scent of freshly baked bread. There was a general store and a butcher and one where I stood there trying to puzzle out. Being able to understand and speak the spoken tongue did not, I realized, staring up at the sign, mean I could read. The symbols were wholly unfamiliar and looked more akin to some ancient language than any modern ones I knew. But there was a picture right next to it that I eventually realized was a potion. ‘Just like a video game,’ I thought.

I continued on my journey, traveling around the perimeter of the village, until I encountered something that made me stop in my tracks. There, standing in a fenced off area, were very large, very yellow, very _familiar_ birds. ‘That is not what I think it is,’ I wanted to scramble back but my feet were frozen in place.

“There’s an explanation for this,” I started to mutter, unconsciously out loud. “There’s a sea so this place must be an island. This is just island gigantism. Those are just chickens. They – Those things are _not_ what I think they are. They can’t be. They aren’t real. Nope. No way. No. No!” My feet finally moved at my frantic urging and I ran blindly back the way I came. I ran, as fast as my feet would take me, away from those – _those things_.

‘It must have been the food. It’s making me hallucinate. I knew it was too good to be true. People like that woman just didn’t exist. No one offered a stranger a bedroom in their own house. She must have drugged the food and is waiting for the right time to off me,’ I was getting frantic. In fact, I would have run forever if I hadn’t crashed headlong into someone.

“Ow,” dazedly, I stared at the sky, wondering what happened and how, exactly, I ended up on my back.

“Hey! Watch where yer goin’!” a young, high pitched voice yelled at me.

I sat up to see who it was and gawked. I rubbed my eyes furiously but the image didn’t disappear. ‘They couldn’t be. _Could_ they?’ as if drawn by magnetism, my arm extended, reaching out towards the other. I didn’t notice as they tensed, ready to spring at me in a tackle or to run away. My hand drew closer and closer until it reached what it was seeking, closed around the object, and promptly pulled.

Immediately, I hissed and withdrew my hand to cradle it against my chest. I looked at the – child? – as he hissed at me in return, baring fangs and claws, hair standing on end. ‘Just like a cat. To go with those ears. And that tail’

There, perched at the top of his head, were a pair of triangle-shaped cat ears. They were as soft as they looked; my fingers could attest to that – silky in the way most animal fur were if kept clean and tangle free. The ears were black to match the hair it was set upon, which were attached to a head and on that head was a face with human features. His eyes glowed gold, ringing slit black pupils. They were fixed on a tanned face with a sharp jawline, high cheekbones (already prominent despite the baby fat), and a pointed chin to go along with a pointed nose. There were curved markings beneath his eyes in rust red.

“Well?” he demanded, tail lashing angrily behind him.

“Ah, sorry.”

“Hmph. What kinda hyur are ye? Goin’ round pulling at people’s ears? This somethin’ all adventurers do or are ye special?”

“Just me. I was surprised. I’ve never seen someone like you before,” he looked insulted, winding up to start yelling so I added hurriedly, “A cat, I mean. A cat – person?”

He deflated, breath leaving his body in a huff as he gawped, “A Miqo’te? Ye mean you’ve never seen a Miqo’te afore?”

‘I could have been a cat person?’ I thought, just a touch hysterical. My second thought was that there was no denying it this time. Miqo’te – a playable race from a game. _An online game_. ‘Shit. Then those birds really were chocobos.’ I couldn’t help it. I laughed, lowly at first before getting louder until I was guffawing, clutching at my stomach. I couldn’t have stopped even if I wanted to. ‘Oh my god! I’m in a video game. What kind of fucked up shit is this?!’

“Hey,” oh, the Miqo’te kid. “Uh, ye okay?”

“No,” I wheezed in-between bouts. “Not even a little bit.”

“Ah, right,” he backed away slowly, holding his hands in the universal gesture of peace.

“No, no. I’m not crazy. I swear.” He eyed me skeptically but stopped moving. “I just – I’m completely lost.” That got me a blink.

* * *

 

We ended up on the outskirts of the village, lying on sunny patch of soft grass. “So, where are we exactly? 

“This is Edna village, second closest settlement ta the sea. Ta the south o’ us, bout two hours by chocobo, is the trading town of Kuzhuh. On the other side o’ them woods is the port city of Ahmahdy.”

“I mean, what country are we in? What nation?”

“Ah, this here is the continent Meracydia, home of the dragons and Miqo’te.”

A pause, “Dragons?”

“Aye. They roam this land causin’ trouble where they will. The Riders usually take care o’ them afore they ever come this far north but once in a while one slips through. Ne’er seen one myself but I’ve heard stories. Anywho, we lie south o’ the Sea o’ Ashes an’ on the other side are the biggest continents on Hydaelyn: Eorzea, Ilsebard, an’ Othard.”

Eorzea. With a surety I didn’t know came from where, I knew that was the place I needed to get to. If I ever wanted to go home, the answers I was seeking would lay there.

“Course, it all changed o’er there with the Calamity an’ all.”

I froze. The Calamity. Shit. How long had it been since then? Five years wasn’t it? That’s what the woman told me earlier. ‘Five years’ she had said. But what five years? Did she mean five years like exactly five years? Or a few days until or just passed five years? Five years was that anniversary thing wasn’t it? No, more importantly, I wasn’t supposed to be the hero was I? No, of course not. I was no warrior, much less some Warrior of Light. I had no skills with weapons or magic. In fact, I had no skills to speak of. I wasn’t even on the right continent. ‘That’s right,’ I assured myself. ‘I’m far away from all that. And I’ll stay far away, even if I do have to travel there. I know the storyline. I know what’s suppose to happen. And I’ll be far, far away when it does. Someone else can be the hero.’

“---that’s what Sarah says. I s’ppose she’s right. She always is. We weren’t affected much but we’re still rebuilding some. Them people o’er there must have it hard. Two year ain’t that long.”

But what type of five years? To most, it probably wouldn’t have mattered. After all, what was a few days or even weeks’ difference? But it mattered to me. I wanted to know exactly how to avoid it. Of course, I had no intentions of staying that long. I wanted to get out of here and do it soon!

‘But,’ I wondered. ‘Was it possible? Was anything ever that easy?’ No, it wasn’t. If you’ve ever read any sort of fiction you’d know that the protagonist had to go through multiple trials until they got what they wanted. I was no hero but I was most definitely the protagonist of my own life. And I had never been so lucky.

‘Alright, think. What can go wrong and how can I deal with it?’ But anything could go wrong. There were too many things to count and I couldn’t possibly prepare for them all in the time I had. Getting stronger was one. I didn’t think that my answer lay in a book in the first place I checked. I had no money to travel anywhere or hire anyone to protect me while traveling from place to place. So I needed to get stronger, as fast as possible and as soon as possible.

‘But,’ another part of my mind argued. ‘Would staying here a little longer make a difference?’ It was right. Time flew by quickly in my experience. A few weeks or a few months wasn’t very long and by waiting I was sure to miss all the trouble. I could do odd jobs to earn money and there would be no need to get stronger. There would be no need to put myself in such a dangerous position. I nodded in determination. Yes, that was exactly what I would do.

* * *

 

“Sarah!” my guide yelled as we entered the house I first came out of. The woman appeared, wiping her hands on her already stained apron.

‘Oh, so that’s her name,’ we had never introduced ourselves.

“No yellin’ in the house,” she replied firmly. “Now, what is it ye want? Never mind. Supper’s almost done. Ye can tell me then.”

“Yes Sarah,” it was a such cute pout that it made me want to ruffle his hair. “Let’s go. I’ll show ye my room!”

His room was just across the hall from mine, with a sign on it reading ‘Y’Ohti’a Khana.’ It was decorated, unlike my sparse room, with plants at the windows and a book on the bedside table. His dresser was opened, showing the clothes inside and his bed had a rumpled look to it. There were two frames hanging on the walls containing photographs. I approached, tilting my head as I studied it. One was a photo of Y’Ohti’a and Sarah, taken recently. Another was of what must have been he and his parents. Y’Ohti’a was small in that one, carried in his father’s arms.

“Those are my parents,” there was defiance in his voice and, as I turned to look at him, eyes even as his body hunched.

“Tell me about them?”

He eyed me with suspicion at first but, seeming to find what he was looking for, brightened up. He grabbed the frame off its hook and bounded over to his bed, patting the seat beside him. “This is my Da, Y’Okhi Tia. He was a Seeker an’ the only healer o’ the village. In fact, he was one o’ only four healers North o’ the River Brune. He used magic an’ everythin’. He taught me, ye know.”

Y’Okhi Tia had red-pink hair in the same shaggy mess as Y’Ohti’a and fur of a similar color. I could see a thick furred tail peeking out from behind him. He wore glasses – odd, I thought, for a Miqo’te whose race boasted superior eyesight. Behind the square frames were odd colored eyes, one a bright emerald green and the other the same gold as Y’Ohti’a.

The woman, on the other hand, was almost the complete opposite. She was a head taller than her mate with larger, thicker muscles. She had purple grey skin and black hair cut short enough that it spiked back. Silver eyes pierced out from the picture, set in a stern face.

“Ma’s name was Ohti Khana. She was the best hunter in all o’ the north. She killed a dragon once, when I was born. It’s how she an’ Da met. He had ta heal her an’ they fell in love an’ mated.” His face fell and added, “They both died though. Ma when I was real little. She went to fight agains’ a monster. Da died right after the Calamity two years ago. He went with a caravan ta another village but it was attacked. No one came back.”

It was why he lived here with Sarah, I realized. And from what I knew of Miqo’te lore, those who mated outside of their tribes were usually shunned by both and their children did not fare much better. I said nothing, keeping my eyes on the picture.

We sat there in silence, both lost in our own thoughts until we heard Sarah’s voice calling us down for supper.

~.~

“Hm, I suppose yer idea has merit,” Sarah nodded in agreement, spooning more soup into her mouth. “Let’s see now, there are a few I can think of that are willing ta let ye help them. Blanche, the butcher, always has need of good hunters. She’ll pay for the type and quality of game ye bring back ta her. Granny Rose, though she doesn’t want ta admit it, needs some help with the weedin’ an’ such. Then there’s Danny, our chocobo rancher. He needs help with the upkeep. An’ any of ‘em will hire ye. It ain’t much but it’s somethin’.”

I nodded at her, “I’ll ask them tomorrow.”

“Now then, Y’Ohti’a, what exactly were ye up ta today? Heard from Missus Kay down the road that ye been gettin’ into yer mischief again.”

I pursed my lips as I heard his name again, tuning out his explanation to Sarah. I repeated it silently before attempting to say it aloud. I heard both of them laugh at my mangled try. Y’Ohti’a walked me through it a few times, patiently correcting my pronunciation until I could say it.

“Now then, what’s yer name lad?” Sarah ask me at the end of it.

I turned the question over in my head. My actual name was not one I was willing to give out. Not to strangers, kind as they were. But I remembered my not-dream, where I created this body and gave it a name. I said, “Cross. My name is Cross. Just Cross.”

* * *

 

So my days at Edna Village went. I spent my time divided between Granny Rose’s garden, Danny’s chocobos, and hunting for game to deliver to Blanche’s, slowly improving my use with my bow. I learned that the monsters here really did have gil. They ate it, somehow, and Blanche showed me how to gut them properly to get at the small treasures inside. With careful savings I managed to amass what seemed to be a small fortune to me. I knew it wasn’t much, considering I knew how much things actually cost in the game, but I felt pride in watching the pile of gil grow.

It was a peaceful life, almost idyllic but I was still determined to get home. I learned all I could, bribing Y’Ohti’a to teach me to read. I devoured all the books in Sarah’s house, all of them belonging to her deceased husband who was, in her words, “an explorer who got his fool self killed an’ left me ta raise our boys all by my lonesome.” Her fond smile belied her words.

I learned as much as I could of this world; of its history and its current politics. I learned to read and write, to hunt and fish, to build my body until I could run for miles without getting tired. I learned to walk quietly and climb trees without making a rustle, to sneak up on both monsters and people alike.

Yes, it was a very peaceful sort of existence, cut off from most of the world as it were. Right up until a dragon slipped by and attacked the village.

It had been an ordinary day then. I started out doing the same things I had been doing everyday up until then. It was late morning when the air grew hot, not unlike standing right next to a fire. There was no more moisture in the air and it became hard to breath. There was a loud roar and a shadow flew over us, momentarily blocking the sun. I landed and for the first time in my life I saw a dragon. I later learned that it was a rather small dragon but to me it was huge. It was thrice the size of a horse and seemed to tower over me, even at a distant.

Before this incident I had convinced myself that everything was a game. I was in a game after all. Nothing could go wrong. I had repeated it over and over again until eventually, it became reality for me. Now I could do nothing but watch. I was frozen in terror. My legs wouldn’t move, not even to run away. My whole body trembled in fear.

‘These aren’t my people,’ I thought to myself. ‘They’re only NPCs in a game. They aren’t friends or family. Why should I help? Why should I put myself in danger for them? They aren’t _anything_ to me.’ Except they were. In the weeks that I had been there these people had become real to me no matter what I told myself. They had become friends, people who shared in joy and pain equally. But still I could not move. I could do nothing.

It was the Riders who saved us, warriors mounted on chocobos who patrolled the continent and fought to keep the dragons in the south. This particular one had managed to get passed them and they had been pursuing it, which was why they showed up so quickly. They killed that dragon, right there in the middle of the village square. I watched in awe as the dragon gave one last shuttering cry. I saw the villagers come back or out from where they had been hiding. They cried in relief, thanking the Riders and offering them a place to stay for the night. It was amazing how they could gather themselves after such an attack.

“Cross?” I startled, whirling around when I heard Sarah’s voice. The woman was disheveled, strands of hair springing out of her customary bun every which way and her face and dress streaked with soot. But she was healthy and whole and I sighed in relief.

Clean up went much quicker than I anticipated and despite the structural damage no one had died. It was a miracle that I knew I could not expect again. I felt empathy towards these people; these people who became close to me even after such a short time. They had just finished rebuilding after the Calamity, picking themselves up and moving forward with their lives and now they had to do it all over again.

I helped where I could: gathering logs used for timber, collecting fresh straw for the roofs that had burned, or bringing food and water to the workers. Through it all, I grit my teeth and clenched my jaw at how helpless I had been. Tired of feeling as I was, I finally bucked up and _did_ something about it.

“Please!” I bowed towards the hunters of the village. “Please teach me how to fight!” I looked at them, lifting my chin stubbornly and holding their gazes when they stared back.

“We’ll run ye ta the bone,” they said. It didn’t matter. I would do anything. That feeling of helplessness – I never wanted to feel that again.

That was the start of everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Seriously, this chapter took longer than I wanted. One, it's longer than the previous chapters. Two, I started this right after I posted the last chapter. Frankly by the end of it, I was exhausted - both brain and body. Some of you may be able to tell. The end of the chapter is not as good as the beginning in my opinion. But hey, I got the intro done and next comes the actual canon storyline.
> 
> I don't know when the next chapter will be up. Like I said - I'm pretty exhausted right now. My creative juices have started to slow already. We'll see when I wake up tomorrow.
> 
> By the way, the last chapter had two end of chapter notes, one meant for chapter 2 and one from chapter 1. Anyone know how I can delete that?
> 
> As always, criticisms are welcomed.
> 
> Read and Review.


	4. Leaving

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to put it off; wanted to stay in peaceful Edna with Sarah and Y’Ohti’a. But though I had come to think fond of the village and its residents, thoughts of home drove me forward.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy ~

I took a slow, deep breath and exhaled silently as I drew my bow. I aimed, taking another breath and let loose the arrow with the next exhale. It hit its mark, burying itself deep inside the eye of a large peiste. The beast roared, thrashing about in pain and a second arrow joined the first, this time penetrating deep enough that it pierced the brain – instant kill. I waited, assuring myself that no other monsters were nearby, before approaching.

The peiste was larger than normal, colored like sand with a white underbelly. I checked its undamaged eye and relaxed when I saw it was the one I wanted. The red of the iris gleamed in the sun, opposite of the black eye I had destroyed with my arrows. Quickly, I took out a knife and carefully harvested it. The eye was an order for an alchemist in Ahmahdy who was experimenting with magic. I knew nothing of what she was doing but all I cared about was that she was paying me a large sum for it, enough to buy me passage over the Sea of Ashes and then some and leaving me with all of my savings.

I placed the eye into a jar the alchemist had given me, one enchanted by magic to keep it fresh. Then I went to work on the beast. I skinned it, making sure to keep it as intact as I could as that would fetch a higher price in the markets. I stored that away in the space pocket I had painfully endeavored to learn.

There were some elements of a video game kept here, I had found. Of course there was no such thing as releasing an arrow and having it hit whatever target you wanted. Everything about the art of combat and the art of magic took work. Hard work. It was much like a sport. One had to keep at it – keep practicing it to get anywhere close to good. I had spent the first two weeks, from sun up to sun down (and even beyond that, drawing back an arrow and releasing it at the target in no light but for the moon and the stars), nocking an arrow and firing it. I did it until I developed blisters, until they popped and my hands bled, and until callouses formed. It was probably the most painful two weeks of my life. My body had grown and stayed sore from using muscles not used to being used.

Then I spent one week getting a crash course in wilderness survival before the hunters literally threw me out of the village with naught but the clothes on my back, my weapons, and Y’Ohti’a, and told not to come back before two weeks were up. It is with absolutely no shame that I will admit that I probably would have died (or at least be more maimed than I am now) without him. He took after his father, knowing curative magicks and how to make potions. He couldn’t do much else besides healing and sneaking around but he gave me a deep appreciation of white mages.

But it worked. I learned to survive. Shooting at a target may be good for beginners but it was stationary. There was absolutely no opponent, man or beast, that would stay still while I took my sweet time aiming. Going out there taught me how to shoot on the fly, at any angle and in any mindset. Muscle memory let me shoot before my mind registered an enemy. I suppose that would be bad if an ally took it into their head to sneak up behind me but in my mind it was better I had it and learned to tame it than the opposite.

I also learned the reason for not having multiple classes at once. In a video game, a character would end up being overpowered. Practically, it just didn’t work well. Different weapons required different movements and therefore, different armor. Trying to combine or mix and match got in the way of that. I tried, once, during those two weeks: the sword got caught between my legs and I tripped, fell, and caused my prey to bolt. It wasn’t impossible but it was very hard. It took time and that was something I didn’t have.

I suppose that wielding similar weapons would work: a sword in the main hand and a dagger in the other, for example, but I wasn’t a swordsman. I used a bow and that particular weapon required both hands. I did, however, keep daggers on me. The longest (measuring the length of my forearm from pommel to tip) was sheathed in my boot while two other, shorter ones were hidden away underneath treated leather armor. My bow was strung on my back alongside a full quiver of arrows, as many arrows as the quiver could fit, while more were stored in the space pocket.

The space pocket itself was a nifty piece of magic, one that I knew nothing about and was content to keep it that way. In a video game, it would be considered an inventory. Here, it was literally magic that allowed one to find and access a compartment in a separate space. The space registered your magic and allowed only you access. Much like an inventory, there was only restricted space and there was a limit of the size and weight of objects. That was one reason merchants still traveled in caravans (the other being that despite being a land of magic, most of the inhabitant of this world could not actually _use_ magic). For me, trying to find that space was excruciating. It did not matter how often or in what ways it was explained to me – I couldn’t access it for the longest time. When I eventually did, I found out just how useful it was. I could keep bulks of arrows or arrowheads or even food in there; spare armor and a basic sword also held a place there and I was no longer encumbered by carrying a large and heavy travel pack.

It was probably the best feature I could think of for not getting robbed. No one could access my space pocket but me and except for a handful of gil I always had on hand, the bulk of it went in there.

~.~

The port city of Ahmahdy was both larger and smaller than I expected. When I thought of port city, I thought of Limsa Lominsa. Although Ahmahdy was nowhere near that size, it was still almost five times the size of Edna with ten times the population. There were a lot more Miqo’te living here than I ever thought. From my limited knowledge of Eorzea, Miqo’te lived in tribes outside of the city. Here, the majority of the population consisted of Seekers of the Sun followed closely by Roegadyn and Hyur. I also saw the occasional Lalafell and Keepers of the Moon. Except for the alchemist who hired me, there were no Elezen living in the city, not that I could see. Colette, the alchemist, lived smack dab in the middle of the city amid the hustle and bustle of the market.

I headed there, deciding to stop by a merchant’s stall on the way. Limoco was a dark skinned Lalafell with hair similar to that of an artichoke and amber eyes. He was one of the more cheerful fellows here and although his business sense was nothing to scoff at, he was always willing to give a fair price if you could outwit him. I was not one who was able to do that often. But he was my favorite merchant and I learned valuable haggling skills from trying to best him so he was my first choice whenever I wanted to sell beast parts.

“Here again are you? Come to lose again eh?” Limoco asked with a wicked grin.

“Came to win again,” I corrected.

“And what have you gotten this time? Not more shroom spores?!” he let out a bellow of a laugh. Shriekshrooms really are as cheap as they are in the game. They were in such abundance that no one would pay more than a single gil for something they can go harvest themselves. In fact, the only reason people paid that gil for them at all was because it saved on time. I was hoping it was something that deviated but the first time I tried haggling I was laughed out of the market. No one has yet to let me forget it.

“No!” I scowled. “I’ve been on a job for Colette.”

Limoco was hiding it but I knew I had his interest. Colette’s commissions were the stuff of legends among the merchants and mercenaries both. She usually hired for the rarer ingredients – things difficult to find or obtain. But those that accepted and completed jobs from her came back with objects or parts to sell that were well worth the hassle. Merchants, of course, eagerly awaited returns, wanting to get the best deals on something they would not soon again see.

“Oh?” he asked behind a mask of disinterest.

I nodded with a hum of agreement and pretended to inspect his wares. “Yes. She asked for a marbled eye from a peiste. Took me awhile to find the bugger. I’ve been hunting it for the past few days.”

“Must have been tough,” commented Limoco. Marbled eyes were polished stones. They weren’t especially rare but those that came from a peiste were. It meant the peiste had encountered a basilisk and lived to tell the tale.

“It was,” I replied. I held up a blue crystal. “What’s this?”

“A water crystal. Fished it out of the middle of the Sea of Ashes instead of getting it from a sprite.”

“Huh. Is there is difference?”

Limoco shrugged. “Some people say that it’s more potent.”

“And you?”

“Haven’t noticed it.”

I continued to inspect his wares and he continued to pretend disinterest. I wondered if I could outlast him but dismissed it. Limoco was a longtime merchant born to a family of merchants. I was patient, yes, but I was sure he had more patience than water when trying to wear someone down. But I continued to wait. I needed to get the best price for my loot after all.

Back and forth our conversation went, both waiting for the other and neither wanting to give in. Unfortunately, I had bad timing. Colette was waiting for me and with her temper, I did not want to keep my employer waiting.

I broke first. “Let us cut with the pretense,” I said with a sigh, shooting a look at Limoco as a smirk formed upon his face. “How much are you willing to buy for this?” I produced the object I found. It was a materia, still low level but rare enough in these parts that it would fetch a hefty sum.

Limoco opened his mouth to give the price – lower than what it is worth in the hopes of haggling with me. I interrupted, “I need to see Colette so I’m afraid our usual banter will have to wait. I need the flat rate.”

“Hm,” he replied. “A strength 2 materia eh? 300 gil.”

I gave him an impatient look that had him chuckling. “Don’t ever become a merchant Cross. 396 gil. It’s what you’ll find anywhere else. Mind you, if it were anyone but you I’d have tossed you out on your arse.”

I gave him a grin. “Deal. I also have peiste skin and meat.”

“406 gil for everything.”

“The skin’s fully intact,” I countered. “I know if I go to Bard I can get more than what you’re offering. 420.”

“It may be intact but it’s still just skin. 410.”

“415 or I take my business elsewhere. The skin will make good leather, especially since it’s bigger than usual.”

Limoco gave a sigh but grinned anyway. “415 for the materia, skin, and meat.”

“Pleasure doing business with you Limoco. I’m sure I’ll see you soon.” We made the exchange and I pocketed the bag of gil, waving to the merchants as I passed their stalls, heading towards the wooden building located right in the middle of the market.

Colette’s shop had no name, simply a depiction of a smoking cauldron. But everyone knew exactly what and who she was. The interior was dark, with curtains covering the windows and the only light source oil lit lamps. It appeared more like the lab it was than the shop it pretended to be. Long table tops, which dominated the center of the room, were piled with ingredients either whole or partially prepared as small cauldrons smoked and bubbled merrily while its contents kept in various stages of completion, awaiting their creator. Next to them sat assorted flasks, each in different materials and sizes, all looking to be filled.

Floor-to-ceiling shelves were braced against one wall of the area, packed with glass jars that held different ingredients, from roots and plants to animal parts. On the opposite wall were smaller shelves. These were more bare, holding only basic potions and ethers because they had a long shelf life. Colette loathed any alchemical merchandise that weren’t freshly made – according to her they were not as effective. But the difference in potency of basic potions and ethers that were ready made versus those that were freshly made were so negligible that even a stickler like Colette had to capitulate.

Colette, herself, was nowhere to be seen. I guessed that she was in the backroom, the entrance of which had no door but instead was covered by a heavy velveteen cloth dyed a darker purple.

I called out, knowing better than to try to enter after the last time. “Colette! I have your marbled eye!” There was a crash and muffled curses; things clinked and clanked together or slammed as metal, glass, or wood met each other. There was a rustle before the hanging fabric was pushed aside and a figure strode out.

Colette was an Elezen and tall, even among her people. Her skin was a lighter shade of seafoam green (a few shades darker than my own hair) while her short hair was a silver-gray – the kind that showed steel in shade and snow in sun. Behind a pair of frames perched upon a delicate nose, colorless eyes glinted as she marched towards me, black boots stomping and gold edged dark red robes flaring out behind her.

“Well?” she demanded. “Where is it?”

I produced the jar in a hurry, knowing her temper would show if I kept her waiting. She took it, cradling it gently as she inspected the contents. Even in the dim lit room the marbled eye blazed a brilliant red. Colette gave a single firm nod before turning and heading towards a small wooden counter; it was the place she did her business. Reaching behind she heaved up a small metal lock box, passing her hand over it. The box shimmered briefly before opening.

It was a basic security spell, meant to keep out any thieves. Normally, the spell would be cast and fastened onto an actual lock and key, preventing anyone without the key from gaining access, even if they could pick it. Colette, and those like her, however, cast the spell onto the box and keyed it to their specific signature. It would remain inaccessible to anyone but them, much like a space pocket.

“200 gil as agreed,” she stated, handing over the correct amount.

It was a lot for a marbled eye but Colette was paying for more than just the part; she was paying for the cost of labor as well as the freshness. If she had bought it off a merchant, like as not the eye would have exchanged multiple hands before it got to her. By buying my services, she ensured she was the first to receive it. I also managed to haggle with her, doubling what was first offered and Colette had wanted my services enough to agree.

I thanked her before inquiring after her experiments. Colette only smiled before ushering me out and bidding farewell. I moved on, heading towards the market stalls on the other side of her shop, planning to pick out spices and ingredients that Sarah had asked me to buy before returning to Edna.

~.~

It was sad to think about: leaving. I wanted to put it off; wanted to stay in peaceful Edna with Sarah and Y’Ohti’a. But though I had come to think fond of the village and its residents, thoughts of home drove me forward. I wanted to know how I got here and how I could get back and the only way to do that was to get to the lands of Eorzea.

I had not yet broached the topic with Sarah or Y’Ohti’a, but I knew the latter at least would not be happy. I resolved to do it soon and the time came sooner than I was prepared for.

We had just finished supper when I blurted it out, no sense of tact but the guilt of keeping the secret making me open my mouth. I was not ready. I had planned to mention it slowly, testing the waters before telling them. I had yet time before the next ship left – four days in fact. I had already spoken to the captain some six days ago and we had come to an agreement about payment and passage.

“Pardon?” Sarah’s voice was calm and her gaze even. Y’Ohti’a looked bewildered.

“I, I – ” I stammered before steeling myself. “I’m leaving. I plan to head to Eorzea.”

“I see,” she said. Her tone was sad but accepting. “I can’t say I’ve not been expectin’ this, not with the way yer were savin’ gil.”

“Sorry,” I murmured guiltily.

“None o’ that now. When are ye leavin’?”

“Four days. I’ve secured my passage with a captain that Limoco has assured me was decent.”

Y’Ohti’a slammed his hands against the table, chair scraping the floor as he pushed back roughly to stand. “What do ya mean yer leavin’?!”

I swallowed, eyes fixed on the tabletop. I repeated, “I need to go to Eorzea.”

“What – ”

“That’s enough,” interrupted Sarah. She took a breath, “Are ye sure bout this Cross?”

I raised my head and met her eyes. I nodded firmly. “There’s something I need to figure out and Eorzea is the place with the answers.”

“So yer leavin’ us?! After all this time yer goin’, just like that?!”

“I’m sorry,”

“Stop bein’ sorry!”

“Y’Ohti’a,” Sarah chided gently, sad smile upon her face.

“But Sarah – !” he stopped, mouth closing with an audible click when he saw the steel in her eyes. His lips thinned before he was running, up the stairs and into his room, door slamming loudly.

“Everyone needs ta leave sometime,” she told me when she saw the conflicted expression upon my face. “Fer duty, fer growth, or ta make their own way in the world. Even Y’Ohti’a will do it. If the gods will it, we’ll meet again, don’t ya worry. Now then, tell me yer plans.”

I was unbearably grateful and Sarah continued to probe me as I answered as best I could. I was distracted, however, by my worry for Y’Ohti’a. I knew that Sarah knew when she let me go a short time later, waving me off as she collected the dishes on the table.

I made my way upstairs until I stood outside Y’Ohti’a’s bedroom, knocking softly. There was no answer. I knocked again, this time louder but still there was silence from the occupant. I raised my hand again when I heard the muffled shout, “Go away!”

I bit my lip, took a deep breath, and ignored the yell, opening the door and stepping inside. Y’Ohti’a was a lump underneath the bedspread, curled into a ball and refusing to acknowledge me. I sat beside him.

“Y’Ohti’a,” I started before falling silent, mind scrabbling for what to say. “When I came here, I did not mean to. It wasn’t on purpose. I just, I remember falling asleep and then I woke up and I was in the middle of nowhere. I have no idea how I got here or even where here was. I came to Edna because I saw houses and people and thought maybe they could point me back home. Then I realized I was so far from home I might as well be in a different world.” There. That was an explanation that was as close to the truth as I could get without actually telling the truth.

Y’Ohti’a shifted minutely. “But why do ye have ta leave?” his voice begged.

“I left them, you know,” I confessed. “My friends and family. I didn’t get a chance to tell them I was leaving. I have to go back because they’re waiting for me.”

“We’re family aren’t we?” his voice was painfully small.

“We are,” I agreed, lump in my throat. “And it would hurt, would it not, if I were to disappear and you didn’t know where I had gone.”

My companion went quiet but I knew he was contemplating what I had just said. He squirmed before his head poked out and judging by the gleam in his eyes, I knew I would not like what he would have to say.

“I could go wit ye!”

I closed my eyes in despair, not wanting to crush his hopes. “You can’t come.”

“Why not?!” his fur bristled indignantly. “I’m a decent enough healer! Ya need me wit all the trouble ye get ta!”

“It’s too dangerous there. You know the news merchants bring from across the sea. Changes in the landscape and more beasts than ever roaming around. _I_ wouldn’t go if I had any other choice. I can’t bring someone else with me too.”

“I’m no _child_! I can take care o’ meself!”

“ _No_ Y’Ohti’a. Besides,” I said, pulling out my trump card. “If we both leave, who will stay to look after Sarah?”

I could tell he was torn. Sarah had all but become a mother to him and although Edna was relatively safe, I knew he still worried about another dragon incident happening.

“That’s not fair.” He said petulantly. “Ye can’t use Sarah. Tha’s cheatin’ it is.”

“Tell you what. I don’t know how long it’s going to take me to find what I need to find but I promise that unless I have to, I won’t leave until I come see you again. If I do have to, I’ll send a letter. And if you get big enough, then you can come join me.”

Y’Ohti’a sat up, still pouting but holding out a hand. “It’s a deal.”

~.~

Four days passed in a blur of preparations. It was heartbreaking, I discovered, saying goodbye to both the residents of Edna and the merchants of Ahmahdy. They had been some of the kindest people I had ever met, taking me in and treating me as one of their own, and I knew that I would probably never forget about my time here. However, as much as I told them otherwise, I knew there was little chance that I would ever see them again. Still, I held hope, especially in regards to Sarah and Y’Ohti’a.

They all tried to ply me with gifts but of which I had to turn down. I had to travel as light as I could and except for the occasional long lasting travel food, I could not accept them. They smiled and nodded as if understanding, before throwing a village wide party for me as soon as they could. Everything I had been offered had been used to make large, delicious meals. I thanked them profusely which they waved away before plying me with more food and drink. It was a good celebration and I was glad for the solution; it wiped away any guilt I felt for turning down their good will.

The only gift I accepted, besides hardtack and dried fruits, was from Danny. He had cornered me as everything was winding down and shoved an object into my arms. I had blinked at him bemusedly, then looked down. It was a chocobo egg.

“From Aurora. She laid that egg yesterday an’ pushed it righ’ ta me. Figured ye can use someone ta keep ye outta trouble.”

Aurora was a sweet-tempered chocobo named for her yellow and red coloring. She was my favorite to work with at the stables and for the seven months I had been here, she had taken a liking to me too.

“The egg is valuable, especially because of its breeding,” I objected.

“An’ if she had laid on it I woulda agreed. But she gave it ta me. I think she knows yer goin’. Don’tcha dare refuse Cross. You take tha egg an’ you raise it proper, hear?”

I nodded, clutching the egg closer to me. I didn’t _really_ want to refuse anyway.

XxX

The three of us, Sarah, Y’Ohti’a, and I, set out the day before my leaving, knowing that the ship would depart at dawn and that there was no way we could make it in time if we had stayed in Edna. We slept in an inn and woke before the sun even rose, using leftovers from dinner as breakfast and leaving for the docks just as the sky started to lighten.

_Lady_ was an elegant ship made of dark wood and curved lines. Her sails were an off white, not yet let out and a flag – royal purple field upon which sat a silver stag – already raised proudly. By this time the sailors were working, loading crates and barrels onto the ship. Rough voices yelled to one another from across the way even as other passengers lined up to have their luggage appraised and set. I lined up with them, naught but my weapons and a small leather rucksack holding the chocobo egg with me. Everything else was currently stored away in my space pocket.

“Name?” a dark-skinned, blue haired Lalafell came up to us with a sheet of parchment and feathered quill.

“Cross,” I answered. Catching his eyes slide over to Sarah and Y’Ohti’a, I corrected, “They’re only here to see me off.”

The Lalafell snorted. “As agreed, _Lady_ will take ye ta the Silver Bazaar in Ul’dah. All meals will be included as well as the public sleeping quarters wit the other passengers. That’ll be 110 gil. You’ll be payin’ o’er there before ye board.”

The line went by quickly and the closer I got to boarding the more nervous I was. I had no idea what was in store for me in Eorzea. I hoped that staying in Meracydia for the past almost year meant that someone else had gotten the role of the Warrior of Light.

“Ye take care o’ yerself now, ye hear? Make sure ta eat proper an’ send a letter back when ye can,” Sarah drew me into a tight hug as soon as I finished paying for passage.

Y’Ohti’a was next, also giving me a tight, if quick, hug. As he pulled away, face red, he said, “I’m definitely gon’ get stronger an’ join ye.”

I ruffled his hair, grinning. “I’ll be waiting then.”

 

~.~ 

Being seasick was one of the worst experiences of my life. It was odd that I could mount a chocobo with glee but boarding a ship left me tinged green. We had only been on the waters for two days but already I had vomited every chance I got. In fact, the only I time I was able to escape the nausea was when I slept; needless to say I had been doing a lot of that lately. Some of the other passengers looked at me with sympathy while the crew roared with laughter, poking fun anytime I was on deck.

Regardless, these past two days had been smooth sailing. The weather was warm and there was always enough of a breeze that the sails caught them and propelled the ship forward. At this particular time I was sitting on the first step leading up to the main deck and leaning against the wooden railing, chocobo egg in my lap.

“Be glad you haven’t hatch yet,” I spoke as if it could already understand me. “This is possibly the worst way to travel and we still have another three days of it. You know, I’m pretty sure this is what’s going to get me. It won’t be some beast or risking my life. No, it will be dehydration from vomit. Don’t worry though, I’ll make sure you go to a good home.”

I continued to sit there, soaking up the sun, speaking to my egg, and shifting ad stretching to find the best position that would afford me the least amount of nausea.

“Ho!” came a shout from the nest. I looked up, shading my eyes in an attempt to spot the crew member. “We’ve trouble comin’!”

“What is it?!” the captain, Morgan, shouted back.

“Time warp’s popped up captain! But so has a storm!” Captain Morgan cursed fiercely before yelling. The deck was suddenly alive with activity as even those down below came up.

“Best get back down there laddie,” a grizzled crewmen ushered me towards the steps leading below deck. “Make sure you strap in, it’s about to get something awful.”

“What’s happening?”

“Trouble.”

And trouble it was. The storm came upon us quickly – one minute it was clear and the next minute the skies were black, pouring so much water it sounding like a hundred people stomping above us. I took the advice I was given, making sure I had my weapons on me, ready in case I needed it. My chocobo egg went back into the rucksack and placed in the middle of a crate that held soft, thick fabric. I planted myself with my back against a wall but on my knees.

The ship tossed and turn. Some of the other passengers ignored it, used to unexpected happenings from their long experience of travel; others were terrified, letting out squeals and moans. I focused, concentrating everything on my senses so that I would be ready for anything.

I don’t know what actually happened next, as I wasn’t on deck. What I do know came from the crew. But story was so farfetched that I was hard pressed to believe it, remaining skeptical until we landed far from our first destination.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, the next time I complain about authors not updating I will remember how much RL interferes and how much writers' block sucks. But here's the next chapter and it did not want to end. I want to keep successive chapters at about this length but don't count on it. Also, canon still not here and as I have it planned, it won't be here next chapter either. Currently working on the next chapter but unless a miracle happens, it won't be out until the end of May at the earliest, more likely mid-June.
> 
> As always, criticisms are welcomed.
> 
> Read and Review


	5. Arriving

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “…Time travel?” I repeated skeptically.

Though I felt the ship calm I remained cautious, slowly turning my head from side to side to ensure that the other passengers were safe, all while keeping one eye on the stairs. It had been vicious; some of the ropes that had secured luggage and crates had snapped, allowing objects to go flying every which way. We had had to dodge them, even as many of us, myself included, scrambled to retie the items before they or someone had been seriously harmed; and this as we struggled to maintain our balance. I don’t know how long the violent tossing and turning had lasted but it was enough that every one of us became green, amateur or veteran traveler. It had felt like we had been tossed into a washer and left there until the end of the cycle. When it finally stopped I was, perhaps, the only one to not collapse, determined to keep my guard in case it had been more than just a storm.

Everything was silent for a long moment before some of the others started to move, helping others and checking their crates to make sure their wares were not damaged. I, too, stood and moved towards the crate of fabrics that protected my chocobo egg. I had been unlucky – that particular container had been one of the ones free. Or perhaps I been lucky – I managed to evade right before it hit me. Furrowing my brows, I dug through the multitudes of fabrics before sighing in relief as I finally managed to uncover the egg and saw that it was unharmed. Quickly, I stowed it away in my knapsack again, just in time for footsteps to come near the hatch.

“’Lo! Everyone all right then?” it was the same grizzled sailor who sent me down when the storm started who now called down to us. “Anyone injured?”

“Storm’s over but we have a bit o’ problem here,” he said after everyone answered in the negative. “Why don’t you get settled an’ then come on deck.”

I moved first. I had already confirmed that my chocobo egg was alright and my bow remained in my hands; there was no reason for me to stay under any longer and I was eager to find out what exactly had happened to us.

I shaded my eyes as I stepped onto the deck – the sun was now shining brilliantly, any sign of the previous storm long gone. As I looked around, I saw the crew cleaning up after the storm: some were mopping up excess water, some repairing the damage done to the ropes, and others working on the parts of destroyed wooden railing. Even Captain Morgan was working, pulling and tugging on ropes while she yelled out orders to her sailors.

I walked over to one of the crew members, “Can I help?” Getting the answers I wanted could wait until there was less work. He handed me his mop, gesturing to the water on deck and the wooden bucket to wring it into. I may not know how much about ships but I definitely knew how to mop.

It took a long time until we were told to take a break. We were not finished, not even close, but it was enough that the ship and its crew could function if something were to happen. I stretched gratefully, my muscles sore from hunching as I first mopped the deck then hammered at the railings.

It was not yet dark but the sun was low in the sky and I could see the east slowly darkening even as the west burned. I trekked down to the mess hall with everything else, eager to have my share of food. The cook was good enough to make a hearty fish stew, warm and filling, and old bread had been reheated by the fire. We broke fast and soon everyone was speaking and yelling to one another, somber mood lifting just a bit. I found myself sitting next to the grizzled sailor and I nodded when he noticed me.

“Thank fer the help,” he grinned broadly. “Nice o’ you to do tha’.”

“I was happy to help,” I replied. I offered my hand, “I’m Cross.”

“Hyllleita,” he shook it before clapping me on the shoulder.

I did not want to break the mood but I was too curious. “If you don’t mind me asking, what happened? That was more than I storm wasn’t it?”

The sailor grimaced and the sailors near him fell quiet at my question, causing a cascade through the room. “Bad luck. ‘Twas a time warp. Woulda dodged it but the storm blew us righ’ to it.”

“A time warp?”

My confusion must have shown because he gave me his own look, “Aye. N’ver travelled afore have you? Else you woulda heard of ‘em.”

“They started poppin’ up after the calamity see,” another sailor piped up. “No one knows how they form ‘xactly or even how they work. Wha’ we do know is that if you go through one of ‘em it takes you back in time. Time travel see?”

“…Time travel?” I repeated skeptically.

“Aye,” said Hyllleita. “We first found out about em’ right after the Calamity. A merchant shipped sailed right through one. When ‘e docked at port in Limsa Lominsa, ‘e found out that e’s was two months back. Friend o’ his asked ‘im wha’ he was doin’ back so soon. Reported it straight to the Admiral an’ they started investigatin’ see? Turns out there are a whole lot more of ‘em around. You go through one an’ you gain some time but no one knows how much til you make contact. Sometimes, like we did, you end up in the middle o’ somewhere you don’t wanna be.”

There was silence as I paused before answering, “Of course.” My voice was flat.

There were chuckles all around, as if they were used to the disbelief. Of course they would be. A storm coming upon us unexpectedly? People would believe that. But _time travel_? That happened in fiction, in fantasy. I paused again in my thoughts – I _was_ in a video game. But no, there was no concept of time travel as far as I knew. I paused again before smacking my palm against my head, ignoring the looks it garnered. Of course there was the concept of time travel: the “Warriors of Light” were sent forward in time were they not? It was a convenient vehicle to move to a new game but convenient or not, what that did was establish that time travel _was_ possible.

Well, things just got more complicated.

“So if this did happen and we did happen to travel back in time, how do we know how far back we travelled?”

“Like I said laddie, we won’t know til we dock and make contact ashore. We keep a calendar here just in case so we can compare the times. Ne’er thought we would ever have to use it I admit.”

“What about where we are? And when we are going to reach land?”

“Dunno. You’ll probably have to ask our navigator for tha’. She’s over there,” he gestured to a pink furred Miqo’te. “Name’s Pahsha.”

I thanked him briefly before making my way over to the Miqo’te he pointed at. She was conversing with a few others, all of them with tankards of ale in their hands.

“Pardon me, Pahsha?” I interrupted.

“Aye?” she had a high pitch unlike the rest of her crew, including her captain.

“I wanted to ask where we were and when we’re going to land?”

“Sorry,” she gave me an apologetic look. “I won’t know until dawn tomorrow, unfortunately. That’s when the crystal will finish charging itself.”

“Crystal?”

“Aye. We have a map that contains some scattered locations of Aether Currents. Enough locations that the crystal will find which one we are closest to. From that I can calculate where we are and where we can go.”

Despite myself, I was intrigued but nodded and look my leave, waving off Hyllleita as I exited and headed to the storage. As far as I knew Aether Currents were in Ishgard; it was why people could fly Chocobos there but not in Gridania or Ul’dah. I supposed that what Pahsha had meant was that there were singular Aether Currents lying about, enough to give her something to work with but not enough for actual use. Besides, I did not think that Chocobos, even flying ones, would be able to cross the Sea of Ashes in one go.

“I don’t think you’ll be able to fly,” I told my egg after retrieving it. “But I’ll care for you anyway.” 

* * *

 

I woke up bright and early, days in Edna training my body to wake with the sun. I slung my bow across my back and cradled my egg as I stood and headed up on deck, eager to look for Pahsha. I found her easily enough; she stood near Captain Morgan, the two of them conversing in low voices. She nodded as she saw me, finishing up before heading my way.

“Well, I don’t know how exactly but we’re near Gridania – specifically, the North Shroud. I don’t know how since there aren’t any open water ways here but I suppose that’s just time warps. We should be about another day from shore. Captain Morgan will address more about that when we break fast.”

“Thank you ma’am.”

“Just Pahsha.”

“Pahsha,” I amended.

I sat there on deck, trying to keep the nausea at bay, chocobo egg in my lap and my bow on the ground in easy reach. It was cool in the early morning but was quickly warming up as it went by. I watched as the sky slowly brighten until everything was a calm, cool blue. It was a beautiful scene, I admitted as a turned my head to admire where sea blue and sky blue met and blended together. I only rose when the bell for food rung, interrupting the low buzz and footsteps of the crew.

Breakfast was quieter than the dinner last night. Everyone was sleepy eyed, intent only on getting their stomachs filled, grumbling at each other to pass this or that. I was the same; I had no intent on making conversation though I nodded to some of the other passengers or crewmen. What I was waiting for came soon enough.

Captain Morgan stood at one end of the room and as she did the few low chatter stopped abruptly. “I am sure you all want to know what happened and what will happen next. As it was explained last light, this ship sailed through a time warp. We don’t know how far we’ve gone back in time but we do know where we are. Our navigator, Pahsha, informed me earlier this morning that we have somehow been deposited in the North Shroud of Gridania. You all know, of course, that while there are rivers and streams, there are not actually any open water ways here and this presents us with a problem. We cannot turn back and unfortunately _Lady_ is on a lake and the only docking point viable to us is the Ixali docking ground.”

I knew where that place was in theory. Unfortunately my mental map of the North Shroud was vague. What I did know was that I had tried a FATE there as a game character and spent the time running around like a chicken with its head cut off before dying miserably.

“Once we can see the shore line, we will drop anchor and inform the Gods’ Quiver. Hopefully they will have enough manpower to clear out any monsters for a short period, enough to escort us to either Fallgourd Float or Hyrstmill.”

“And if they can’t?” a voice in the crowd questioned.

Captain Morgan gave a wan smile, “Then we will be here until they can. That’s all for now. Thank you for your attention.”

I turned the situation over in my head. The ship would be too far to help and the captain was unlikely to allow me to take the smaller lifeboat closer to the battle. I was a paying passenger on this ship. Unless it was dire, she would not risk one whose life she had taken responsibility for. It was frustrating and there did not seem to be anything I could do except wait.

Later, after we dropped anchor, I stood on deck and watched the strip of land. I could see small figure prowling about but could not make out any specific features. I knew, however, that it was the Ixali and Watchwolves.

Despite my intentions to keep my head down and avoid trouble at all costs, I could not help but feel a shiver of anticipation run down my spine as I thought about testing myself against them. I knew it was trouble but I could not help but remember when I played the game and died miserably against them. There was more danger here but I wanted to know how far I had come; how much stronger I am now than I was when I first arrived on the outskirts of Edna.

I do not know how long I stood there, watching as figures as small as ants stalked back and forth, but I was not the only one. Out of the corner of my eye I saw sailors and other passengers lounging about on deck, some of them observing as I was. One by one, they lost interest and turned to other activities, whether it was napping in the sun or debating on the merits of using velveteen versus leather in armor.

“Time won’t be passin’ by quicker even if ya glare laddie,” one of the sailors remarked as he stopped besides me. 

I gave him a wry smile but did not move from my spot. The sailor shook his head and moved on. I continued to watch. I was lucky because I saw them group together, shoving long rowing boats from the shore just as a yell came from above.

“Captain! They’re headin’ towards us!”

There was a scramble as everyone rushed towards the side of the ship. There were murmurs and Captain Morgan pushed her way through to the front. She grimaced as she saw the Ixali approach.

“All hands!” she shouted. “Ready the weapons! I want every shot to count! Make sure you hit them before they reach the ship!”

It was like a well-oiled machine as everyone went to their stations. Some went below to the canons while others grabbed weapons; rifles, bows, and even spellbooks. A few of the crew ushered all the passengers below deck. One came towards me attempting to do the same but I shook my head firmly as my lips pressed into a thin line and I gripped my bow steadily. I saw Captain Morgan give me a measuring look and as I turned to meet her gaze, she nodded. It was grimmer than I expected if the captain was allowing me to stay.

As the Ixali drew closer I raised my bow from its resting position and heard the others do the same with their weapons. I took a deep breath, then exhaled, focus narrowing sharply until there was nothing but the upcoming battle in mind. I cast away all doubt and fear, taking another breath before letting it out. Distantly, I heard Captain Morgan bark out an order and the canons firing. I watched as some of the Ixali were hit, catching fire and leaving behind drifting wood and floating corpses.

Still, they came, more Ixali pushing off from shore in their boats. Vaguely, I wondered where the boats came from but quickly dismissed it. I took aim, released, and immediately reached for another arrow. Again and again I and the crew fired, warding the Ixali from the ship. Then, we heard it: sounds of a battle on the distant shore. Some of the Ixali turned their heads and when they saw the commotion in their camp, snarled and paused before one barked orders in its warbling language. As one, the boats turned and headed back towards shore and we gave a cheer as the warriors of the Gods’ Quiver cut them down. Captain Morgan gave an order and in a flurry, anchor was raised, sails let out, and the ship made its way to shore.

By the time we got there, the passengers had come on deck and the Gods’ Quiver had overwhelmed and sent the Ixali running for backup. A flare was sent into the air and an Elezen strode towards Captain Morgan when she made her way down the plank. I was too far away to hear their conversation but I did not have to wait for long as the Elezen turned towards us.

“Welcome to Gridania. As you know, this is Ixali territory and though we have won this battle, I am afraid they will soon be back. We have sent the signal for wagons so that we may leave quickly. But be warned, you will not be able to take all your belongings with you. Please, choose what you want to keep with you and leave everything else.”

There were murmurs of discontent everyone did as asked. As I only had my knapsack with me, I assisted the passengers in carrying their cargo off the ship and then onto the Chocobo pulled wagons when they arrived. The Elezen had been right. There were only four wagons, two for cargo and two for the passengers. They crammed on and I shook my head when directed to get on. I turned back and watched as Captain Morgan and her crew stared long at _Lady_. They saluted and fired. I watched in shock as the ship burned, fire rising higher until it consumed everything.

There were shouts of outrage from the passengers who I assumed were planning to hire a retrieval for the rest of their belongings. I also knew that the ship’s crew and the Gods’ Quiver both would not have allowed the Ixali to get their hands on a ship, even locked as it was. It was a foreshadowing, I suppose, of the events that would also soon consume my life.

* * *

 

Gridania and the shrouds surrounding it, was one the of most beautiful landscapes I had ever seen. Green foliage sat underneath large trees whose boughs contains its own layers and layers of lush canopy. If not for the beasts that roamed, it would have been an idyllic scenery straight out of a book or work of art. As it was, I gazed wide eyed in wonder, turning my head slowly from one side to the other and craning my head to peek around the guards. At one point, I almost tripped over my own feet but too fascinated to care, I returned a sneering look from one of the Elezen guard with a raised brow of my own.

My curiosity and wonder shortened the trip considerably and I was disappointed when we finally arrived at Fallgourd Float. Fortunately the disappointment soon cleared as I took in my new surroundings full of wooden buildings and wooden walkways, underneath which ran a river. I smiled briefly as I heard our steps echo along the wood; I always did like that sound.

Around us were colorful characters, though grim. There were Miqo’te and Elezen and Humes milling about. A few wore colorful dress, standing bright amongst the browns and greens and greys. Others dressed to blend in, all leather or worn, dull metal armor. Adventurers, I guessed, from their solemn countenance and soft murmured voices. I only kept half an ear out as I continued to look around me but I heard of the leader of our retinue tell us we would be here for the next hour. Of course, we were welcome to stay but for those who wanted an escort we would leave on time and not a second later. If you were left behind you would have to make your own way to Gridania. I contemplated staying but I decided not to play with the gods’ luck for me. I had come this far with minimal trouble and I had no desire to do otherwise.

I lingered around as I decided how to spend my next free hour. As I did, I heard Pahsha’s voice cut through the murmurs.

“We’re _how_ far back?!” she exclaimed.

Quieter, another female voice answered, “It’s 1576, the fourth year of the 7th Umbral Era.”

I turned, staring with my brows furrowed as Pahsha collapsed into a crouch, face buried in her hands. Slowly, it dawned on me just _when_ I was. 1576 meant a full year before the start of the game. At this point in time people were still picking up after themselves from the Calamity.

‘ _Crap_ ,’ I groaned silently. _‘Dammit, this is not what I wanted_.” In my quest to avoid getting caught up with the whole shtick of the Warrior of Light, I had gotten myself right smack dab in the middle of it. But, there was a full year. If I could only get home before then, I would definitely miss all the excitement. In lieu of that, I would just have to make absolutely sure that I was nowhere near the events of the game. 

I slowly wandered off, my thoughts drifting as I schemed on how stay away. It was my unfortunate luck that my planning went on for so long that when I came to, I did not recognize where I was nor what time it was. Cursing, I spun around and sprinted back the way I came, dodging those who stood in my way. I slid to a stop at the main square, eyes roving quickly to catch a familiar face. There was none. Whipping my head to the side I spotted the way I thought we came and hoping to catch up to them, ran, straight into someone’s armor. My arms pinwheeled as I tried to keep my balance. I fell anyways, landing hard on my side. Popping up, I winced as I caught of the tall Elezen’s face, apologized, and ran.

The thing about being in the game rather than just staring at it from a screen, was that the scale was much larger. In the game, changes in distances or lighting happened dramatically: one moment it was one way and another it was completely different. Being in Eorzea, changes were much more gradually. Case-in-point, I did not know I was heading in the completely opposite direction until it was dreary. Not everything was dark but instead of sunny blue skies, it was the kind of grey that washed everything else out.

I stopped, panting lightly as I looked around. It was barren; there were no large trees with their spring green canopy nor were there squirrels and Shrooms. The trees were mostly bare of their leaves and the only other green were small sprouts in the ground. I frowned as I thought about the run back and the time lost from my misdirection.

The back of my neck prickled. I forced myself to stay relaxed, even as my senses sharpened. There was an eerie silence, which made the small rustling sounds that much more menacing. I whirled around, bow making a smooth transition from being slung on my back to my hands, an arrow nocked.

A mass of small white bodies, with black faces and green sprouts atop their heads, ambled towards me. Mandragoras. I shot my arrow, hoping to kill one and warn away the rest. It was knocked aside. I tried again but the outcome was no better. Seeing my aggression, they ran towards me, quicker than I anticipated. Even more quickly, I backpedalled to give myself some distance. A sharp pain lanced through my right thigh and I could feel blood trickling down. Not too deep but worrying nonetheless. I glanced back and clenched my jaw when I saw that those green sprouts I saw earlier were just more Mandragoras. I was injured and surrounded and while I could still carry on, my arrows had already proven worthless.

Swiftly making a decision, I slung my bow back onto my back and pulled my twin daggers from their sheathes on my arms.  My legs tensed and I sprung upwards in a backflip, landing on the other side. I slashed at the Mandragora closest in reach and felt a sense of satisfaction when I was able to cut it. It was stronger than I gave it credit for as it came back at me. I ducked and dodged as I slashed when I could but more and more kept coming, drawn by the noise of battle.

Gritting my teeth, I continued to fight even as I felt cuts as bruises on my own body. I was not going to die here.

“Ah!” it was the first shout I let out, this due to the large cut across my back. It was deep and I felt the pain with every movement. I knew I would not be able to keep this up for long. I started looking for an escape even as I continued to block and dodge.

_There!_ Again, I jumped into the air, this time spinning my body horizontally to fit into the small gap that appeared. I could feel blunt hits on my body and for a moment I thought I would not make it. But I did. As soon as my feet hit the ground I took off running. Already exhausted, it was not the fastest I could go and I could hear dozens of small feet chasing me. I continued uphill, choosing to go towards the light than underneath the dark canopies I saw. New monsters appeared and joined the chase. I was getting lightheaded, blood loss from my wounded back not helping. My vision narrowed until I saw only my escape.

‘ _Just a little more_ ,’ I thought.

“Down!” another voice commanded. Instantly, I dropped and over my head a roaring ball of fire soared. 

‘ _Well_ ,’ I thought dizzily. ‘ _Never seen that before_.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here you go. It's been quite a long while but I think I've figured out a system for writing. Just don't expect much since I never keep to deadlines and I'm pretty busy packing and moving (and unpacking) for the next three weeks.
> 
> If you're a returning reader, welcome back. As a note, I went back to fix the timeline in previous chapters. Nothing much and nothing you'll need to go back to re-read. I just got the years mixed up and had to redo them.
> 
> Read and Review.
> 
> Welcome to Wonderland~


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